FILM DIPLOMACY CONFERENCE

The Film Diplomacy Conference (FDC) 2025 is a three-day international conference, happening twice a year on different locations bringing together over 100 delegates from 50+ countries to merge the power of cinema with the principles of diplomacy.

Themed “Building Diplomats Through Lens,” FDC is structured to include a Training Day led by diplomats, filmmakers, media agencies, Sustainability (SDGs) trainers and intercultural trainers; a 24-Hour Film Challenge where teams produce short films on global peace and cooperation; and a Red Carpet Award & Screening Day judged by diplomats, directors, and media figures

NOT YOUR REGULAR BORING CONFERENCE

03 Days

10+

Workshops

100+

Int. Delegates

24 HR

Short Film Challenge

25 Teams

09 Film Awards

07 UN Models

10+

Talent Network

CONFERENCE AGENDA

Copy of FDC ENGLISH PROPOSAL (3240 x 6750 px) (13)_edited.jpg

Delegates are welcomed at the airport by event staff and escorted via private shuttles to their hotels.
Upon check-in, each delegate receives a welcome kit with their badge, agenda, local guide, and event materials.
A formal welcome diplomatic dinner is hosted with speeches by organizers, naming partner, and dignitaries, followed by cultural performances.

Arrival Before 9:00 Am & Opening ceremony at 10:00 Am.
Delegates participate in eight (8) masterclasses on diplomacy, international policy, & six (6) on Filmmaking and visual storytelling.
Led by diplomats, professionals, UN representatives, and award-winning filmmakers.
Ends with an intercultural social night to spark connections and mutual respect.

120 Delegates, grouped into a team of 5 (Total 25 Teams) under 7 UN bodies and 1 MOFA model, write, direct, act and edit a short 3 to 5-minute film in just 24 hours.
Films must convey a message of peace, cultural heritage, or diplomatic values and related to SDGs.
Completed films showcased and judged by a panel for creativity, impact, and message clarity.

Red carpet event attended by actors, diplomats, and media.
Films are screened and judged by a panel of celebrity filmmakers and cultural diplomats.
As part of the conference, 8 Best film category awards and one prestigious award will be presented to recognize excellence in film-diplomacy documentary filmmaking including 5 Individual performance awards too.

UN BODIES AND THEMES

Over the course of three days, all activities revolve around the core United Nations bodies and their associated global themes. Delegates will receive 8 intensive workshops focused on diplomacy, SDGs, UN Global themes and issues, equipping them with the knowledge and tools to understand and engage with real-world issues.

UNHCR

01

UNHRC

02

UNEP

03

UNODC

04

UNICEF

05

UNESCO

06

UNSC

07

MOFA

08

FDC DELEGATES CATEGORY TREE

120 delegates are split into 25 teams of 5: a writer, director, actor, editor, and diplomacy student. Each team is placed under one of eight themes, with three teams per body tackling key global issues. Each team will have 24 hours to produce a 3-5 minute short film, combing storytelling with global awareness

FILM DIpl macy Conference Delegate Category Tree

JUDGING CRITERIA

At the Film Diplomacy Conference, each film is evaluated on a 100-point scale by a jury panel of 4 judges - amongst them diplomats, filmmakers, actors, and industry professionals, based on the following criteria

RED CARPET AWARD CEREMONY

Across three impactful days, participants attend workshops led by diplomats and experts, collaborate in a 24-hour filmmaking challenge focused on UN themes, and present their films at a red-carpet screening judged by distinguished diplomats and filmmakers. The top-scoring films in each category will receive a "Best Film in category Award", with the highest overall score receiving the prestigious “Best Film of the Season” award, recognising outstanding contributions to film diplomacy.

• The Best Film of the Season Award, determined by live audience voting during the Day 3 red-carpet event.
• Eight Best Film Category awards will be presented to the best performing teams under each theme including UNHCR, UNHRC, UNICEF, UNEP, UNSC, UNESCO, UNODC, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA).

Best film of the season will be selected by live audience-based voting on day 3 during red carpet award ceremony and Screening

Best film of the “UNHRC” will be selected by the Jury on the Day “3” according to the key judging criteria.

Best film of the “UNHCR” will be selected by the Jury on the Day “3” according to the key judging criteria.

Best film of the “UNODC” will be selected by the Jury on the Day “3” according to the key judging criteria.

Best film of the “UNEP” will be selected by the Jury on the Day “3” according to the key judging criteria.

Best film of the “UNESCO” will be selected by the Jury on the Day “3” according to the key judging criteria.

Best film of the “UNICEF” will be selected by the Jury on the Day “3” according to the key judging criteria.

Best film of the “UNSC” will be selected by the Jury on the Day “3” according to the key judging criteria.

Best film of the “MOFA” will be selected by the Jury on the Day “3” according to the key judging criteria.

INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE AWARDS

At the Film Diplomacy Conference, we recognize outstanding individual contributions that elevate the impact of each film. Individual Performance awards include, Best Actor/Actress, Director, Editor, Writer, Diplomat/Policy Advisor.

Excellence in portraying characters with authenticity and emotional depth.

Skilful craftsmanship in storytelling and message through seamless editing.

Creativity and clarity in scriptwriting and narrative development.

Leadership in guiding the creative vision and overall execution.

Exceptional ability to integrate the diplomatic insight and policy relevance, according to the Global issues, SDGs, and topic relevancy into the film’s message.

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